Sunday March 21st: The hour of glory.

Victory through suffering and the cross

John 12: 20-33

How did Jesus fulfill his mission as the Anointed (Messiah) King who came to bring victory and freedom for his people? Jesus knew that the only way to decisive victory for God’s kingdom on the earth would be through his voluntary suffering and death on the cross.Jesus described his willingness to go to the cross as his “hour of glory” (John 12:23) when he would fulfill his Father’s will and accomplish the mission entrusted to him. Jesus saw his death on the cross as triumph over the powers of sin and Satan’s forces of darkness.The real enemy that Jesus came to overcome was Satan who tempts the human race to rebel against God and his commands in order to create their own destiny through sinful pride and disobedience.Jesus took our sins upon himself and nailed them to the cross to set us free from condemnation to death and destruction, and the eternal consequence of separation from God.
(Don Schwager )